The son of Hall of Fame point guard and Utah Jazz legend John Stockton is now technically part of the dreaded LA Lakers organization.
16 years ago, fans around the Wasatch Front were dumbstruck when their guy, two-time NBA MVP and two-decade Utah Jazz star Karl Malone sold his soul and joined Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant with the LA Lakers. Sure, Malone’s time in the 801 had run its course, but seeing him ply his trade in the purple and gold was still hard to stomach.
Fast-forward to now, and there’s a chance we could be seeing Stockton leading the Lake Show’s attack on the hardwood.
No, not Malone’s running mate John Stockton, but the Hall of Fame point-man’s son — and a former Jazzman in his own right — David Stockton.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles’ G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, officially acquired returning player rights to Stockton and Reggie Hearn in exchange for a pair of first-round picks and rights to Derrick Griffin Jr.
The last time we saw the younger Stockton stateside, he was playing for Jeff Van Gundy and USA Basketball in an effort to secure a spot in the World Cup for the senior national team. Of course, he’s better known in Jazzland for his lineage and his big return to the Beehive State in 2018, when he inked a pair of late 10-day contracts with the Jazz, before catching on for the stretch run and playoffs.
By the end of that run, he had played five games for the Jazz; three regular season contests and two during the Jazz’s first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
Clearly, his time as a Jazzman was brief, but it was still memorable for the Utah faithful.
https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/982096167855992834
A rare bright spot for the Jazz in Game 3: David Stockton Eurostepped into a layup ... and his dad approved. pic.twitter.com/8oaxb8BqhO
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 5, 2018
Last season, Stockton turned in his Jazz duds and suited for medi bayreuth of the Basketball Bundesliga. Although the Bavarian club had an up and down season, the 28-year-old did reasonably well for himself individually.
In 35 games across all competitions, he put up nearly nine points and four assists per game while knocking down 42 percent of his 3-point shots.
Despite the trade, there’s no guarantee that Stockton ever suits up for the Lakers (G-League or NBA) or even returns to play in the United States.
Still, the simple fact that his rights are in the purple and gold’s coffers and, technically, he’s part of the Lakers organization, gives this old Jazz fan indigestion.
In all seriousness, here’s to hoping Stockton gets another bite at the NBA apple sooner rather than later.